2021 Youle ManKong Pure Ancient Trees (T5*, Benchmark)

Highlights:

• 100% pure 1st spring pick
• Small leaves varietal
• Sweet and elegant
• Maximum estimate tree age (average): 500 years.
• Really comfortable Qi, somewhat more calming than energising

This tea is a great introduction to the Benchmark series in the sense that’s very much “like a good Puerh, but better“. While some other benchmark teas might be harder to understand, this should please nearly everyone.

It has an intensely satisfying gan (between sweet and bitter) taste, super easy to drink (low astrigency) and good durability, with a very comfortable Qi to match. Many connoisseurs love the small leaves varietal for this specific ‘strong sweetness’ taste, which this tea has lots of, making it very similar to Yibang Mansong for instance.

How old are these trees?

All tree ages are approximations, and one should always doubt when an age is given as a single number. There are no certain scientific methods to identify the age of a tea tree. The only possible way to tell how old (and healthy) a certain tree is is by drinking its leaves and comparing it to its neighbours: the older the tree is, the thicker the soup and the more comfortable the ChaQi and your body in general.

The consensus among the most reliable tea experts about the age of the oldest standard puerh varietal trees in Youle is over 600-700 years (some people say less or more than this too). However people, even experts, have very different opinions about what age of tree is in a specific area.

So there always is uncertainty in this topic and we won’t pretend otherwise, we simply say: If you or your favourite expert think there are 500+ years old in Youle, these are such trees. This is a genuine Big ancient tree and accordingly this is one the very best available trees available in the area. Best largely means oldest, but healthiest/biggest is also very important.

You can find more details about reference tree ages on the Benchmark ancient tree introduction under “Age of trees”.

Puerh.uk Benchmark Ancient Tree Series Introduction

• The best possible ancient tree tea that can be obtained in a given specific garden
• Our most significant contribution to making available a type of puerh that was not available before
• Super strict quality criteria (standard puerh varietal only, classic puerh areas only, 1st spring pick, extremely clean environment, ancient trees that have never been cut, healthiest and biggest trees only chosen for single trees production)

The best tea is not for sale, it’s available only through relationships. Tier 5 is about 0.01% of available Puerh, with ancient tree leaves only with all taste qualities present in overwhelming amount, tea that is basically only found in elite asian circles and via private connections.

Benchmark ancient tree Puerh is the top section of Tier 5, and particularly means: this is highest expression of ancient tree puerh from a specific garden, so it can be used as “benchmark” to tell whether other puerh is truly ancient tree or not.

Puerh of this quality has never been made before in history (only in the last 10 years), this is the most exciting frontier of tea at the moment as far as we’re concerned. Please see the full Benchmark ancient tree introduction page for more info.

30g ceramic jars (a bit more than 1oz) containing chunks of cake, 200g cakes.